Like you, I’ve flown countless times. The tranquility of cruising at 30,000 ft. sets the mind at ease. We can find relaxing peace there, sipping our drinks and gazing out the window. The sun shines brightly on the clouds below, magnifying the beauty of God’s creation.

To be in that moment and have it be your last is more than I can bear to dwell on. I can’t imagine what those last seconds were like as the surface-to-air missile struck the plane.

Outside of the TV series 24, who does this? It’s shocking. It’s inhuman.

Except that it’s not inhuman because it was accomplished by at least one human. Which brings me back to a sobering conclusion that I’ve known all my life – the world can be a very evil place.

Evil exists in our world

This cannot be denied – evil exists in our world. Right along side with the good, evil manifests itself in countless ways each day. It’s inescapable. It would be foolish to consider that we’d never experienced it in some form or fashion during our lifetime.

The evil presence in our world isn’t a new phenomenon. Evil has existed since those fateful moments in the Garden of Eden when mankind pursued its own will instead of God’s. It’s woven itself throughout history, manifesting itself at times in gruesome ways that leave us with more questions than answers and continually worried about what might be around the next corner.

That’s no way to live though, being so locked down by the fear of evil that we let it alter our daily routines. I’m not going to do that.

Instead, I’ll take my cue from the Apostle Paul who lived through one of the most evil eras (at least for followers of Jesus Christ) the world has ever known. If the believers of his day could face being thrown to the lions in the Roman Coliseum – just for sport – then I can face anything the world throws at me today.

How to live in the face of evil

In the Bible, the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15, “See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

From this verse, I find three basic instructions for living day by day in a world system capable of great evils.

I am to walk circumspectly. Translation…be watchful, guarded and attentive. Our personal defenses need to be on alert to call out evil when we see it. It’s not going away so it’s imperative we maintain the vigilance to watch for it.

I am to walk wisely. Evil sucks in the foolish. I don’t want to create a vulnerability to evil because my actions are not marked by prudence and common sense.

I am to walk purposefully. Have some determination. Be resolute. Create a single-minded path to drive each day’s existence to create meaning and value in people’s lives. For as I’ve said before our days are limited and can be changed or end in an instant.

Continue giving to the fight

In 1983, a Korean commercial airliner was shot down by the Russians over the Kamchatka Peninsula. Then U.S. President Ronald Reagan offered this outline for what must be done. His remarks targeted the American people to action but apply to anyone seeking to stand against evil in this world. He said:

“We know it will be hard to make a nation [Russia] that rules its own people through force to cease using force against the rest of the world. But we must try. This is not a role we sought. We preach no Manifest Destiny, but like Americans who began this country and brought forth this last best hope of mankind, history has asked much of the Americans of our own time. Much we have already given. Much more we must be prepared to give.”

Then, like now, we cannot turn a blind eye. There can be no pretending evil is irrelevant. It’s not the business of someone else to deal with.

It affects us all. We must be ready to give more attention to it. We must continue to fight.

Please take a moment to remember all the families affected by this tragedy. Pray that God’s grace and comfort be with them at this most difficult time.

I'm a former high school administrator and personal finance teacher now turned stay at home dad. I love collecting baseball cards, running my rental real estate properties, going on vacations with my four kids and hearing my wife talk about all the cool things CPAs do at work. You can connect with me on Facebook,Twitter and Google+.

Brian, our pastor preached on Jonah this week and talked a lot about the evil in the world, and our instinct sometimes to not intervene (maybe, like Jonah did, in hopes that judgment will actually come). There’s a lot of bad stuff going on right now (even in the actual area around Ninevah…go figure).Done by Forty recently posted…Why Aren’t We Getting Better With Money?

“…our instinct sometimes to not intervene…” I can see this, definitely. Many reasons why we don’t intervene…apathy, fear of reprisal, worry over getting swept up in evil practices ourselves, it’s the problem of someone else…probably more I can’t think of right now. Evil is not going away…we cannot leave it unchecked.Brian recently posted…Confessing a Really Stupid Money Mistake

Agreed MMD…we don’t have a clear perspective on the rest of the world. But it’s also present here too in our first world nation. Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, everyday as gangs shoot each other down in the streets…It’s heartbreaking and we can’t ignore it.Brian recently posted…Confessing a Really Stupid Money Mistake

We have to stay in the word and attempt to have a like-minded support system in order to avoid being drawn in by evil. It helps me to remember that I don’t stumble upon evil and temptations – Peter says Satan is like a lion seeking to devour us. He’s on the hunt.Kirsten recently posted…Just Story Saturday

I agree on your point about the forces of evil Kirsten…the enemy is definitely out to destroy those seek to live a godly lifestyle. Our foolishness though sometimes makes it easier for him. Through unwise choices we open ourselves up to evil and situations that we never should have been in.

Such senseless tragedy and loss. There IS evil in this world, and the “Logical Problem of Evil” is a question that has been debated for centuries. Events like this nudge us to consider James’ words that our life is ‘just a vapor’. A reminder to question: What is it that we’ve accomplished as far as Eternity is concerned?

This is sadly too true, Brian. I can’t begin to imagine what those families are going through. It’s truly just awful that there is such evil in this world, but as you said, it’s going to be here no matter what. I try not to live in fear of the actions others might take, but I do make sure to listen to my gut if something feels “off,” and avoid generally bad areas.E.M. recently posted…Being Grateful: Thirty-Sixth Edition

Along with our basic wisdom, I believe God has put in us that “gut feeling” or “instinct” you talk about to as a defense mechanism…sort of like radar that blips when we sense something is not right. It must be something we pay attention to and rely on to guide our actions.Brian recently posted…A Sobering Takeaway From the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 Crash

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